Word and no faith will remain. Hence Paul designates faith as the
obedience which is given to the Gospel.

The mere assent of the intellect to the Word is, according to some, the
faith insisted on in Scripture, but this is a mere fiction. Such as thus
define faith do not duly ponder the saying of Paul, "With the heart man
believeth unto righteousness." Assent itself is more a matter of the
heart than the head, of the affection than the intellect.


_IV.--OF REPENTANCE_


Repentance follows faith and is produced by it. In the conversion of the
life to God we require a transformation not only in external works, but
in the soul itself, which is able only after it has put off its old
habits to bring forth fruits conformable to its renovation. Repentance
proceeds from a sincere fear of God, and it consists of two parts, the
mortification of the flesh and the quickening of the spirit. Both of
these we obtain by union with Christ. If we are partakers in His
resurrection we are raised up by means of it to newness of life, which
conforms us to the righteousness of God. In one word, then, by
repentance I understand regeneration, the only aim of which is to form
us anew in the image of God, which was sullied and all but effaced by
the transgression of Adam.

The apostle, in his description of repentance (2 Corinthians vii. 2),
enumerates seven causes, effects, or parts belonging to it. These are
carefulness, excuse, indignation, fear, desire, zeal, revenge. I stop
not to consider whether these are causes or effects; both views may be